For Peace to Be Universal, It Must Be Practical

by Rev. Trish Hall

One of my favorite prayers of all the prayers Dr. Holmes wrote is his “Prayer for Universal Peace.”  Instead of just reading it or immersing in it, I realized it could be used as a practical guide to establishing universal Peace. 

A universal prayer for the good of all mankind, to bring peace to our hearts, to our homes, to our minds and to our souls, from today to eternity. 

Now is the time to ask ourselves, “What is mine to do to bring about Peace for all?”  “How am I to be as a catalyst for peace?” It feels like I was born with a passion for Peace.  As a little kid, I was a peacemaker.  Generally, I was shy – maybe even timid – yet, if there was discord, courage arose within me and I stepped into whatever was going on proclaiming that everyone needed to “stop being mean to one another.”  That was before I learned that such behavior was potentially dangerous and I learned that it was safer to not speak up. That constricted behavior dominated me for many years, until I remembered that what was imbued in that child hadn’t gone away, it had just gone into hiding.  My passion for peace was still alive and well, and showing up in other ways.   

So I ask you, “How is your desire for peace making itself known to you?  How is Spirit calling you to make a difference?” 

 

“Infinite Spirit, bring peace and good will to all peoples.”

When I awakened … or rather, when Infinite Spirit re-awakened me to Its presence in, as, around, through and throughout me, that Spirit that had shown its radiance as me as a child,  I reconnected with the Truth.  I realized that the courage I had felt as a child was an other-than-conscious awareness that it was Spirit-as-me, that stepped up as the peacemaker and that Spirit-as-me, is me now and always.  As time has past I have become more and more keenly aware of various forms of violence (sometimes subtle and sometimes overt), of pre-judgments skewing perceptions, of assumptions and presumptions that result in an array of inequities. 

So I ask you, “Are you alert? Do you notice inequities and micro-aggressions that often are not so micro?  When they occur, how do you address them to assure good will to all peoples in a peaceable manner?” 

 

“Direct the pathway of every nation into unity, happiness and prosperity.” 

Each of us, by our daily thoughts and actions can be catalysts for change.  We may feel that our individual voices don’t make a difference and yet, as Margaret Meade stated, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens [individuals like you and me] can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”   

So I ask you to ask yourself, “What is mine to do? Am I a letter-writer or call-maker?  Am I an organizer calling together others desiring changes that are inclusive and uplifting to assure happiness and prosperity for all?” 

 

“Remove the thought of fear and greed from the mind of man.”  

Fear and greed are the lowest yet highly effective motivational forms and alas, they are most common.  Fear underlies anger and very often expresses as greed – fear that there isn’t enough to go around which shows up as hoarding.  Because these two are often very deeply rooted, they present an especially tenacious challenge. Teaching and preaching about abundance tends to fall on deaf ears.  The person experiencing the lack, gets caught in contrasts – “they have everything and we do not,” is thrust at them from all directions.  We talk about the unlimited givingness of God, yet why does it appear that that givingness is not equal.   

So I ask you to ask yourself, “How am I modeling the unlimited givingness of God?  How have I dealt with my own thoughts of lack?” Can you see yourself modeling and sharing so others may prosper?  If not, what’s stopping you?  If so, go for it! Be creative! Share your ideas and collaborate with others so that together we can break the cycles of poverty and inequity. 

 

“Let every thought of hate be turned to love, every thought of fear be turned to faith, every thought of doubt be turned to certainty, every thought of war be turned to peace.” 

This is where we must take a deep dive into practical spirituality.  Drawing on Principle, living it day by day, we know that every behavior can be transformed.  Hate cannot coexist with Love so we must be the presence of Love in all situations.  Doubt is put to rest in the presence of spiritual certainty, another name for faith.  Fear recedes when enveloped in faith.  We must model how it is to live as Peace and invite others into our experience. 

 

“Heal the wounds of the world and bring peace upon the face of the earth.” 

We are the peacemakers, the healers.  As individuations of Spirit, we come into this world bearing everything we might need to fulfill this prayer.  As a child I knew it and then, for a time, I forgot … I lost touch with the boldness of my passion for peace.  I have grown back into the courage of my childhood, and I invite you to join me.  We are here to live the Prayer of Saint Francis: 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: 

where there is hatred, let me sow love; 

where there is injury, pardon; 

where there is doubt, faith; 

where there is despair, hope; 

where there is darkness, light; 

where there is sadness, joy. 

 

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much 

seek to be consoled as to console, 

to be understood as to understand, 

to be loved as to love. 

 

For it is in giving that we receive, 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and 

it is in letting go that we are awakened. 

 

What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do

by Rev. Chris Plym, Chair of CSL’s Heart of Peace Committee

The manifest world seems to be experiencing chaotic times. The daily newscast wants you to believe in its prevalence. Many of us are feeling especially divided these days, pulled in different directions, as we navigate this tumultuous moment.  

What exactly is chaos? One definition is: “the formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.”

This gives rise to our interpretation of the events around us. Science is proving that what we perceive is what we experience. We are the creators of the “formless matter”. Ernest Holmes would not deny the experience in the world, but our hearts and consciousness can lead us into a different place.

As Religious Scientists, we hold firm to our belief and experience that our consciousness can change the world. We hold fast to our knowledge that Peace resides in our inner being. We let go of fear and rash action while using our meditation time and prayer time to go deep, find all that may give rise to anything unlike peace, and resolve our inner conflicts.

Would a little internal conflict resolution serve you now? You are invited to journal/consider the following to resolve any inner conflicts to your sense of peace.

• Where must I take radical responsibility for my thoughts and beliefs regarding these tumultuous times? Approach this with curiosity. Are there any thoughts or beliefs that bear changing?
• Unearth any stories you may have around those thoughts and beliefs?
• Be truthful with yourself.
• What is the truth in Spirit? Recall that Spirit is good, peaceful, prosperous, joyful, calm, humble, loving, kind, and compassionate.
• Recognize that as Spirit, you have all the attributes you need to move your consciousness and let go of any stories or beliefs that are not serving you.
• Define what you really want to hold in consciousness. Determine how you will create that atmosphere and embody that belief. Do you need to write it down? Do you need to write it on stickies and place it all over your home? Do you need to remember it as you meditate and pray? Do you need to create a song that will uplift you?

Basic principles are these, and we have the opportunity to practice, practice, practice. We are all blessed as we take our steps to a better, more conscious world.

Inner Peace and Rituals of Healing

by Guenter Maier

If there is no inner peace, there won’t be world peace.

Life is our most precious gift, and life is within and without. Our human experience on earth begins with a first breath. We believe that life does not end in the last breath. Each human being is a soul that has experienced life many times, in life after life. 

On the level of our everyday life, we usually work and make an effort –consciously or subconsciously- to heal aspects of the wounded ego. On a transpersonal level, however, when transcending the ego, processes can happen that impact changes beyond biographical healing.

Life forever regenerates

Sometimes, when we feel restless and no inner peace, in moments of frustration, after disappointment, or through stored pain in our body, these inconveniences are like a “soul call” for deeper awareness and attention. Conscious care of the soul -beyond the ego- can become a true realization of transformative healing in miraculous ways. As the Science of Mind (SOM) teaching states: By thought, meditative practice and prayer, we can consciously recreate life. It is as in spring season: Life becomes new, it forever regenerates. 

In the recent past, in biology the field of epigenetics gained in scientific interest. Obviously the environment and the genes have an impact on the soul. It has been reported that the experience of trauma, anxiety and stress related phenomena had been transferred from the generation of parents and previous ancestors to the generation of their children, quasi like a genetic inheritance of unresolved and unhealed latent traumatic presence. For example, recurring dreams that transport unresolved war nightmares of parents can come to the surface in the psyche (soul) over the following generations.

Dreams, through their symbolic messages, and meditation can guide us to resolve and heal post-traumatic (family etc.) drama. If aware about such messages, it is possible consciously to dissolve the rigidity of their grip and to step into a liberating realm that frees the soul.

The Soul is source, deep and immense

Our soul is not captivated in a body. It craves unfoldment beyond the physical body into the vastness of cosmic energy and consciousness. In fact, it is the body that is in an immense sphere of an unlimited soul.

Healing can happen when we don’t find answers or explanations to questions that cannot be understood by intellect or reasoning. Spiritual practice and rituals of prayer, faith and meditation help. What has been disconnecting from the self by trauma can be reconnected by the awareness of one’s physical nature and flow of emotions. It may bring forth the awareness about inner truth. In spiritual practice, we can comprise the feeling of who we really are. Each individual being can do that!

Oneness of all life

Within the realms of a transpersonal sphere, we are inter-connected and can share the experience that everything on our planet earth is interconnect and one within a subtle fine life essence that permeates our being, in the whole universe.

It is nature that provides a huge gateway open to everyone of good will, open to every heart. Nature is grateful to those who treat her well. She leads to the experience of feeling the inner truth of being and –in silence- to that unspoken knowing that connects all senses with the oneness of universal energy and divine life, with that vibration of the cosmic sound OM, to the origin of source that is healing light.

When going into the beauty of nature, we can connect and communicate with the biosphere of plants, with animals, with the earth, the air, the water, the sunlight or the moon and the stars at night… Our bodies and mind can -with all senses- awake, be refreshed and feel the presence of cosmic energy within and around us. Such experiences hold the fruit of deep inner peace and deeper healing.

Sun salute

An outstanding practice in Hatha Yoga –which is not difficult to learn and to regularly perform, and which is good for expressing yourself into the essence of nature is surya namaskar, the sun salute. It connects you with the earth and the sky, it is a physical and spiritual realization that expresses your receptivity for the new and it holds the gratitude comprising your whole life, the earth, the air and the light, contentment and inner peace. We are beings of the earth, of water, of the air and of fire. (Find instructions for the sun salute at https://yogarove.com/how-to-do-sun-salutation-for-beginners)

Peace and gratitude be with you, within your heart!

“It is by going down into the abyss that we recover the treasures of life. Where you stumble lies your treasure.” 

  –   Joseph Campbell (Reflections on the Art of Living)

A Tribute to Thich Nhat Hanh
by Rev. Gerd Pontow 

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh made his transition on 22 January 2022 aged 95.

He was a global spiritual leader, a poet, and a peace activist – worldwide acknowledged and revered for his teachings on mindfulness as well as on global ethics and peace.

In my daily morning group meditations I have used some of his inspiring words of wisdom contained in his book “The Art of Living” and I especially liked the one with the title “Resting in God”:

Just as a wave doesn’t need to go looking for water, we don’t need to go looking for the ultimate. You are made of the sun, moon, and stars. You have everything inside you.

In Christianity there is the phrase “resting in God.” When we let go of all seeking and striving, it is as if we are resting in God. We establish ourselves firmly in the present moment; we dwell in the ultimate; we rest in our cosmic body. Dwelling in the ultimate doesn’t require faith or belief. A wave doesn’t need to believe it is water. The wave is already water in the very here and now.

To me, God is not outside us or outside reality. God is inside. God is not an external entity for us to seek, for us to believe in or not believe in. God, Nirvana, the Ultimate, is inherent in every one of us. The Kingdom of God is available in every moment. The question is whether we are available to it. With mindfulness, concentration, and insight, touching nirvana, touching our cosmic body or the Kingdom of God, becomes possible with every breath and every step.”

I would like to share a few of His wisdom quotes:

When we have peace, then we have a chance to save the planet. But if we are not united in peace, if we do not practice mindful consumption, we cannot save our planet.

You know that your happiness and suffering depend on the happiness and suffering of others. That insight helps you not to do wrong things that will bring suffering to yourself and to other people.

The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions.

Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature.

To understand the suffering of others, we must first touch our own suffering and listen to it. 

You must love in such a way that the person you love feels free.

Looking at a speck of dust, an awakened person sees the universe.

Peace while breathing,
Peace while walking,
Peace is the breathing,
Peace is the walking. 

The nectar of compassion is so wonderful. If you are committed to keeping it alive, then you are protected. What the other person says will not touch off the anger and irritation in you, because compassion is the real antidote to anger. Nothing can heal anger except compassion. That is why the practice of compassion is a very wonderful practice. 

Peace begins within yourself. Compassion and understanding begin within yourself. Practice living in the here and the now, so that we can live every moment happily. To be free from regrets of the past. To be free from the fears of the future.

The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.

This Body is not me.
I am not limited by this body,
for I am Life without boundaries.
I have never been born,
and I have never died.
Look at the Ocean, and the Sky filled with Stars,
Manifestations from my wondrous true mind.
Since before time I have been Free.
Birth and Death are only doors through which we pass.
Sacred thresholds on our Journey.
Birth and Death are a Game of Hide and Seek.
So Laugh with me, Hold my Hand,
Let us say Goodbye,
Say Goodbye to meet again soon.
We meet Today.
We will meet again tomorrow.
We will meet at the source of every moment.
We meet each other in all forms of life. —Thich Nhat Hanh

Happy Birthday, Ernest Holmes!
by Rev. Kathy Mastroianni, Executive Director of the Science of Mind Archives and Library Foundation and Heart of Peace Initiative Committee Member

January 21, 1887:

“A new age must wait upon someone to proclaim it and no matter how great his future destiny and dignity, he must first be born as a baby. None of these thoughts were in the mind of the neighbor who had been routed out of bed at three o’clock to traverse the fields of snow and help bring a child into the world.”

Fenwicke Holmes wrote these words in the biography of his brother, Ernest Holmes: His Life and Times. Ernest was the youngest of nine boys born to Anna and William Holmes in a rural farmhouse in Lincoln, Maine.

Here we are 135 years later, celebrating the birth of Dr. Holmes. Our lives touched and transformed by the teaching of this great man who is the Founder of Science of Mind: “a philosophy, a faith, a way of life”. Dr. Holmes was, indeed, a teacher of Peace.

Peace: A state of inner calm. An inner calm so complete that nothing can disturb it. The Peace which comes only from the knowledge that It is All. Fathomless Peace is meant by the Peace of the Spirit. This is the peace to which Jesus referred when he said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” The Infinite is always at peace because there is nothing to disturb It. A realization of our Oneness with Omnipresence brings peace, the peace which is accompanied by a consciousness of power. – The Science of Mind Textbook, page 617

The Science of Mind Archives and Library Foundation is honored to have the sacred responsibility of preserving, protecting, and presenting Science of Mind philosophy and wisdom for each of us and to share this teaching of Peace with the world.

Dr. Holmes was a prolific writer, speaker, teacher, and leader. How amazing to step back in time and read his original works or hear audio recordings of Dr. Holmes, himself. It brings this teaching to life in such a way that it becomes a deeper part of our own lives. The more we read, listen, take classes, participate in Peace meditations and learn—the more this mystical teaching naturally flows into our day to day lives. We let go of what no longer serves us and become more Peaceful in our thoughts, words, and actions. We experience the Oneness of all Beings, bringing more compassion and Light into our personal world as well as lifting the Consciousness of the Whole Word—revealing the Divine Truth of Peace on Earth.

It is also fascinating to read stories about who Dr. Holmes was as a person, growing up, and how his path lead him to create this practical teaching that has transformed thousands—millions—of lives. His story is inspiring!—from his very simple beginnings, born on a farm in Lincoln, Maine—to becoming the leader of a worldwide organization that continues to change the world with the higher Truth that all is Love, Light, and Peace.

The Master Teacher, Jesus, said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14: 12-14. Each of us is here on this Earth for a Divine Purpose. As we do our own personal spiritual work, we experience more Peace and, through our passion and gifts, can do even greater things in the world—revealing more Peace for us all.

The Heart of Peace Initiative, through Centers for Spiritual Living’s Global Services, joyfully continues to bring Dr. Holmes’ transcendent teaching and message of Peace out to the world—truly revealing “A World that Works for Everyone” and powerfully affirming “Peace IS on Earth Now.” This is done through:

• Weekly Peace meditations on Centers for Spiritual Living’s Facebook page every Monday at 1 pm MT

Heart of Peace also creates other opportunities to experience Peace through events on key days dedicated to honoring Peace, such as:

• The Season for Nonviolence and Peace {January 30th -April 4th}
• World Labyrinth Day {the first Saturday in May}
• The International Day of Peace {September 21st}
• The World Healing Day of Peace {December 31st at Noon GMT}
• As well as at various Centers for Spiritual Living events

Heart of Peace also encourages all Centers for Spiritual Living around the world to host their own regular Peace Meditations. Resources are available to get started at: Heart of Peace Meditations – Centers for Spiritual Living (csl.org)

From Reginald Armor’s Book, “Ernest Holmes, The Man” page 53:

As we leave confusions behind and enter into the Presence, we become peaceful. Of Itself, Law is neither peace nor confusion. It is a mirror. If we hold an object in front of a mirror, the image in the mirror is that of the object.

Learn more about Dr. Holmes by coming to celebrate his birthday with us! The Science of Mind Archives is hosting their annual birthday party to honor the 135th Anniversary of Dr. Holmes’ birth! This virtual party is on Saturday, January 29, 2022 from 5-6:15 pm Mountain Time, so wherever you are around the world, you are welcome and encouraged to attend!

Please go to www.scienceofmindarchives.com for links and more information on joining in the celebration of Dr. Ernest Holmes. This website is also an amazing resource to learn more about Science of Mind, Dr. Holmes, and to access hundreds of ebooks and audio recordings to deepen your own connection to Spirit and your own inner Peace. Together—we ARE revealing Peace on Earth right Now. And so it is!

World Healing Peace Meditation: One More Way We’re Changing the World
by Rev. Trish Hall

John Randolph Price and his wife, Jan, launched World Healing Day, December 31, 1986, joining millions of people around the planet in a “global mind-link” to heal the world and reveal peace. Their concept was clear – a moment in time in which the consciousness of millions would be linked in a single focus:  A worldwide, congruent embodiment of healing and harmonizing Planet Earth.  The power of such clarity in any moment is unstoppable; however, the challenge is sustainability.  Maintaining that focus has proven to be a challenge.  Humans tend to get distracted by the swirl of worldly circumstance.  Alas, we often allow distractions to trigger attitudes that are the antithesis of harmony. 

The intention of the Heart of Peace Initiative of Centers for Spiritual Living Global Services is to take the mind-link of the moment that the Prices envisioned and shift it to being sustainable – to transmute moments into continuities.  The Initiative’s vision sees millions of people diving into the consciousness of peace, healing and harmony at random times as well as specific events, spontaneously reconnecting with the mind-link of millions.  The Prices believed, and we agree, that the sense of connection stirs the desire within ever growing numbers of hearts to heal what is unlike love, so that peace prevails. The undulating, rippling effective is contagious and produces a lifting of the consciousness within everyone, everywhere whether they are conscious of what is happening or not. 

The annual World Healing Meditation, now in its 36^th year, commences precisely at 12:00 AM GMT on December 31^st.  The Heart of Peace Initiative provides an hour of meditation and readings focused on the realization of global peace, healing all experiences that are unlike love/contrary to peace.

When we look around, the world – even our individual thoughts – seem rife with examples of discord, violence, and disasters.  It can be overwhelming.  The voice of doubt may raise its head, questioning, “What difference can I possibly make.”  The answer is, “You make a world of difference!  Every act of love, of kindness, of compassion ripples out touching and transforming others who consciously or otherwise do the same.”  Just imagine the result if each one of us raised these simple acts to the level of commitment and took responsibility for the influence we have on others.  Nelson Mandela: “Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste or any other social markers of difference.”

It serves no purpose to deny what is happening globally and locally. Unless we acknowledge that there is a problem, we are powerless to make changes. How do we walk the tightrope of being fully engaged, committed to transforming the problem, yet not lose ourselves in the problem so that we become a force of separation? The passion that ignites our desire to manifest a world that works for everyone, can all too easily become divisiveness rather than unifying.  Spirit stirs us to recognize that which needs to change, to seek solutions, to be impassioned to cause change, and to do so in ways that unite rather than separate us.

We receive conflicting messages:  we must “feel it to heal it,” yet warned, “That which you focus upon expands in your experience.” Recognizing what needs to be changed demands that we look objectively at circumstances.  Simultaneously, we must feel it and sense it deeply, in order to muster the energy to be a cause for change yet not get so consumed by it that we lose perspective and become ineffective.  We must place our focus on healing – to call forth the Divine Truth that shifts human experience at the level of cause.  Divine Truth does not deny circumstances; it provides the means to effect lasting change of circumstances.  It diminishes the human propensity to get distracted and waste energy on behaviors that widen rifts and entrench the sense of separation.  It calls us to be healers – unifiers that that dissolve the sense of separation.

So what is “healing”?  The simple answer is to make whole.  We must reunite our divided nature, releasing our fixation on what is wrong with the world and opening to pure potentiality – to accepting responsibility for doing our part to heal ourselves and the world.  Sometimes in the midst of chaos, it is hard to see “Truth beyond appearances.”  Sometimes, it is hard to remember when surrounded by alligators, that we are there to drain the swamp – to remember it is the Truth that sets us free from the alligators.

Ernest Holmes declared, “We have within us, a power that is greater than anything we shall ever contact in the outer, a power that can overcome every obstacle in our life and set us safe, satisfied and at peace, healed and prosperous, in a new light, and in a new life.”  Simply because we have it is no assurance that we use it for good purpose – that is a matter of choice.  How then do we choose to be?  Do we focus the use of this power on peace, compassion, healing of the strife and global chaos or do we remain imprisoned by beliefs that global peace is not possible because it has not yet been experienced?  Do we take responsibility for our past mistakes, learn from them and redirect our thoughts and actions?  Do we uproot our misplaced faith in the inevitability of that which is not desired or do we embrace the power within and be catalysts for change – catalysts for peace?

It is time to subdue all inner conflict by giving no further attention to the many distractions – the side issues that divert us from the fulfillment of our goal.  We achieve this by engaging all our thoughts and feelings in constructive, creative and productive consciousness – by being peace. 

We are imbued with the ability to use the most powerful healing force in the universe: Love.  It cannot be destroyed. It can be ignored. By denying its power, we cause ourselves and others pain. Embracing it is the only answer. Through the power of love, we can release ourselves from history’s entanglements and begin again. Love heals and makes whole.

Embarking on this transformative journey of shifting from moments of peace to continuities of peace, we must release attachment to how it’s always been, how we want it to appear, and ready ourselves so that Divine Possibility can have its way with us.  An ancient Zen story provides guidance.  It tells about a university professor who went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. “It’s full! No more will go in!” the professor blurted. “This is you,” the master replied, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup.”  We must empty ourselves so that we are available to new learning and new experiences. 

We are always at choice: the choice of how we are to be in each and every situation, the choice to be a conscious activity of God, the choice to apply spiritual principles to every circumstance, the choice to remember that the Truth that we know within must express into and as form, as circumstance, the choice to simply perpetuate our mistakes or learn from them and manifest our global vision of a world that works for all.

The Heart of Peace Initiative invites you to be a catalyst for global healing and sustainable peace, transforming moments of peace to continuities.  You are encouraged to experiment with being a conscious presence as peace in a variety of settings and being kind and respectful when circumstances might lure you to be otherwise.  We welcome you to meditate with us weekly on Facebook for Collective Peace Meditation at 1:00 PM (US Mountain Time) and for our array of other peace practices throughout the year. 

Start 2022 by attending the World Healing Peace Meditation at 12:00 AM GMT December 31, 2021 on Center for Spiritual Living, Heart of Peace, Facebook Live.  Please arrive 15 minutes early to settle in, get centered.  We start at precisely 12:00 AM GMT on December 31^st!

US/Canada/South America TIME CHART: 7 AM ET, 6 AM CT, 5 AM MT, 4 AM PT

Meditation Myth-Busting
by Rev. Sharri Johnson

I spent 30 years trying to learn to meditate and believing I had failed miserably. I had grown up in the Catholic tradition, where rote prayer was the norm and no instruction at all was given in meditation – although we were encouraged to meditate. My mind was chock full of misinformation:

• meditation means sitting absolutely still
• meditation means absolute silence, inner and outer
• meditation is the highest form of prayer, therefore not optional
• meditation is simple, therefore easy
• meditation is effortless
• anyone who is spiritual can meditate instinctively
• to meditate, one must first still one’s mind

There was more, but you get the idea, and I suspect some of you are nodding your heads ruefully. 

The challenge for me​​ was the only statement above that appeared in every book or class I could find about meditation, the last one about “stilling” the mind. I mean, SERIOUSLY, who can do that in the blink of an eye? That’s not a step, it’s a process! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anyone who could explain that process to me. I felt completely defeated and inadequate.

Then I took a class on mandalas. Imagine my astonishment when the facilitator defined “mandala” as a kinetic meditation. I thought that was an oxymoron! That was almost 20 years ago and it was an absolutely life-changing event. I discovered that when I was creating a mandala, I didn’t have to still my mind. What’s more, when I was working on a mandala, time didn’t stop – it ceased to exist. Thinking, especially puppy-mind thinking, requires time, so my mind simply stilled itself – while I wasn’t looking. Turns out, my body didn’t need to be still, just focused, and the focus was near-as-makes-no-never-mind to automatic. I have created dozens of mandalas since then, for myself and as gifts for loved ones. One hangs beside my prayer altar and another on my office wall.

Next, I discovered a ginormous mandala that had already been created called a labyrinth. Once again I found myself amazed and delighted to realize I could walk the labyrinth in absolute peace and solitude, no matter how many other people were walking at the same time. The process of equally balanced left and right turns spiraling into a central point of silence and Presence was miraculous to me. This is still my most favorite form of meditation, and I will eventually have a 100′ wide rose labyrinth, with a 4′ wide path (for wheel-chair accessibility) and 11 circuits at my retreat center.

I also found several wonderful CDs of guided meditations, which lead the listener into stillness gently and genuinely without effort. I especially enjoy the 21-day programs by Deepak Chopra and the great variety of offerings from Insight Timer, all of which are free! I think of guided meditations as a spiritual bus ride – all I have to do is sit there and be.

The capstone miracle of meditation for me was a book by Eknath Eswaran, in which he gave not one, but two different algorithms for stilling the mind in preparation for silent sitting meditation. I am so grateful that I never gave up on this option, because sometimes it’s too cold or rainy to walk a labyrinth (though I do have a couple of very nice finger labyrinths), and sometimes I really NEED to just sit still. Not only have I lost that fear of failure, but I sometimes find myself actually experiencing the state of bliss all of the meditators in my past promised me.

My last note (the last myth to be busted) is that simple, which is true of all of these meditation practices, is NOT a synonym for easy, but once I stopped struggling with the angel, it did bless me and easy just came naturally. If you have found meditation daunting, I promise you that one or more of these busted myths with fit and bless you, too. 

 

Peace-FULL: How We Communicate is as Important as What We Communicate

Picture this conversation coming from a place of angst.

Person A: I told you that I did not want green beans at dinner.

Person B: They were a great buy at the Farmer’s Market.

Person A (escalating): I don’t care. I don’t want them; I won’t eat them.

Person B (agitated): Look at everything I do around here. And now you won’t eat the dinner I made.

Person A: You always have to be right.

Person B (escalating): When are you going to cook dinner? Why do you question what I do?

Person A: Once again, it has to be ‘your way, or no way’.

Person B: Dam it. You are not listening to me.

And so the conversation goes. Is this communication? No, it seems like a test of wills. Neither party is listening or using other communication skills as they respond to the other. They are in their own world of what they want. No one is ‘getting their way’.

Dr. Ernest Holmes said: “Again, Jesus tells us that our gifts, brought to the altar of life, are unacceptable while there is aught between us and our fellowman [sic]. There is a hard truth. We cannot always please our fellowman. Human experience has taught that this is impossible. What attitude, then are we to assume? This: whether we please or whether we displease, we need have no personal animosity toward others. The altar of faith is approached through peace and goodwill toward all. The Divine Ear is attuned to harmony and cannot be approached through discord.” (SOM text, pg. 430)

So what could be possible in the above scenario? What could de-escalate this situation and draw the fictitious people closer instead of inserting a wedge between them?

A few personal attributes can be cultivated to increase your personal communication style and bring PEACE.

HUMILITY – this does not mean that one takes a back seat in the conversation. Nor does it mean that your perspective and wishes are to be ignored. It is just a different reference point when you communicate.  It is reported that C.S. Lewis said it so well when he wrote that true humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less. It does mean a different approach to conversations.

INTEGRITY – integrity means that your ‘public face’ matches your ‘private face’. It means that you are always operating from a strong inner core of beliefs and values. In the case of our couple, each could determine how valuable this connection with the other is to them. The choice can be to act from the basis of what the relationship means to them. A question that could be asked for each is “does your outer ‘face’ match your true feelings and values for this relationship?”

EMOTIONAL HEALTH – if you have taken care of your feelings and emotions, potential conflict situations won’t be upsetting. By learning how to take care of yourself, you take care of your interactions with others. Emotionally healthy people recognize, understand and manage their own emotions and reactions.

POSTURE OF OPENNESS – are you open to learning new things? Are you open to what others may say or believe or express? Do you enjoy conversations and communications with those who are open, nonjudgmental, and interested in learning what you may have to say? If every communication comes from the posture of openness, you gain more insight and others will feel heard and respected.

CLARITY – this trait works both ways. Are you clear about your points in the communication? Is the other clear? If you are not clear about what the other is saying, there are many ideas to gain that clarity. You can ask for clarity. You can repeat what the other has said in your own words to be sure that the communication is clear. You can ask questions. Once again, this provides a basis for respect and true evolved communication.

TAKE THE LONG VIEW – what do you want to be remembered for? Do you want to be remembered for approaching communication from a perspective of ‘I have to be right’ or do you want to be remembered for how well you interact with others? Who do you remember as great communicators? Were they level headed, a good and compassionate listener?

Where does this all lie in relationship to your spiritual self? How does all of this play out in your life if you truly value PEACE? If one has confidence, trust in oneself, trust in the other, and recognition that you and others are part of the Universe and are intractably connected, communications can flow easily and gracefully. Consider also that how you interact with others, may be how you interact with yourself.  

THE EXERCISE IF YOU CHOOSE: Reflecting on Dr. Holmes quote – when do you feel you have the Divine Ear (and it is expressing as you)? Regarding the last paragraph, consider your role in the Universe.

Blessings as you continue your path of Peaceful Communication!

A DREAM FULFILLED – A VISION REALIZED

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly declaration “International Day of Peace.” The purpose of the International Day of Peace was and still remains, to strengthen the ideals of peace around the world.

In 2001, September 21st was set as the annual day of commemoration – not only as a time to discuss how to promote and maintain peace among all peoples but most remarkably, as an annual 24-hour period of global ceasefire and non-violence for groups in active combat.

The International Day of Peace reminds us of our commonalities. Regardless of where we come from or what languages we speak, we are more alike than we are different. Honoring those commonalities makes peace possible. Life is better in a world where peace exists. We draw on the wisdom and experience of the peacemakers and peacekeepers to learn how we can individually and collectively be catalysts for peace – how we can manifest a world that works for everyone, everywhere. Nations and communities around the world struggle with poverty and disease, severely limited access to education and healthcare, particularly in areas where violence is common.

There is something here much bigger than our day-to-day routines. We have the opportunity to transform the world so that our loved ones can live in sustainable peace. To achieve this we are called to step outside our comfort zones. Until we are willing to soften our own perspectives so we can catch a glimpse of someone else’s experience, peace will remain beyond our reach.

Peace is possible. The impact of each small act is immense. Imagine: If we were all simply kind and respectful of one another, how different life would be. We can all contribute to the worldwide culture of peace through generosity of spirit, prayer, advocacy, education and ensuring access to clean water and health resources. Every small effort makes a difference.

Throughout history, dating back to the Peace of God (989 AD) and Truce of God (1027 AD) arose from the desire to curb violence by limiting the days and times nobility could practice violence. Most societies have lived in peace most of the time. Today, we are much less likely to die in war than our parents or grandparents. Since the establishment of the United Nations and the creation of the Charter of the United Nations, governments are obligated not to use force against others unless they are acting in self-defense or have been authorized by the UN Security Council to proceed.

For many years, Rev. Dr. Nancy Anderson spoke of her dream – a vision that had been revealed to her – of a collective peace meditation in which countless individuals would gather in consciousness, wherever they were geographically, to realize peace through their meditation practice. She connected deeply with the United Nations International Day of Peace, however, she believed in daily practice. As she said, “We learn through the Practice of Collective Meditation to more deeply embody or BE PEACE and then that Peace is automatically amplified and resonates through humanity.”

When Rev. Beth Linguri joined the Global Services Committee in 2015, she shared that she, too, had a vision of people all around the globe meditating collectively to reveal peace on the planet. Together, Dr. Nancy and Rev. Beth submitted a proposal to CSL Leadership to recognize Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative as an integral element of the organization. Blossoming from their combined efforts, the Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative was formed as the Heart of Peace Initiative, a subcommittee of Global Services. Rev. Beth was the coordinator until 2020. The Initiative’s commitment is three-fold:

· Creating opportunities to gather in meditation

· Supporting Centers for Spiritual Living around the world in forming Collective Meditation groups

· Collaborating with other organizations to ensure that opportunities to meditate on the emergence of world peace are easily accessible to all.

Centers for Spiritual Living selected United Nations International Day of Peace in 2016, to conduct a ceremony at the Home Office in Golden, Colorado, to dedicate a Peace Pole and to formally recognize the Collective Meditation for Peace Initiative as an integral and essential element of our organization. The Heart of Peace Initiative coordinates weekly online Collective Peace Meditations and numerous events throughout the year.

At the 2016 event, Rev. Dr. Kenn Gordon reminded everyone that every day must be dedicated to peace – that the consciousness of humanity must be uplifted to abiding in and as peace moment by moment. As he said, the Peace Pole is a material replica of the intention that has brought it into form, just as the actions we take demonstrate Spirit’s call to do our part to manifest a world that works for everyone. World peace is a product of what is in the hearts of individuals. To achieve world peace, we must begin with the individual. In order for us to experience and express peace, we must first reveal that peace from within us – to remove all obstacles to the free flow of peace and love.

Religious Science has always been a powerful presence for peace, a core attribute of our philosophy of Oneness. As Dr. Ernest Holmes explained in Spiritual Awareness, “When we become conscious of our existence as an idea in the Mind of God, we shall find that we are walking in pathways of peace; that something within us acts like a magnet to attract that which belongs to itself. This something is Love, the supreme impulsion of the universe.”

Today more than any other time in history, peace relies on the commitment to not only achieve equality, but to secure equity for all persons – to fulfill our vision of a world that works for everyone, everywhere.

Submitted by Rev. Trish Hall, Heart of Peace Initiative, Global Services Committee, Centers for Spiritual Living

By Rev. Sharri Johnson

One Heart Retreat Center

 

This era of upheaval has caused me to stretch very wide, very deep, very slowly and very, very intentionally. Every time I turn on the television, my pc or my phone, I am bombarded (there’s no other word to describe the media onslaught!) by opportunities to grow. I don’t think even a rock could just stay the same in the midst of COVID, systemic racism, blind nationalism, economic upheaval, divisiveness, and oh, yes, let us not forget war. What has surprised me is the level of emotional trauma I personally am experiencing. I live in 2-hours-from-everything, Arkansas – there are no protests within driving distance of my home, so I cannot actually participate or be personally injured by the huge events that are happening in this country right now – and have been, loudly, for the past 18 months at least. Nonetheless, I am feeling embarrassed by and ashamed of the actions being taken in the name of society, power or money.

I have been forced to ask myself, over and over again, “What do I REALLY believe and what am I willing to do about it?” I grew up believing I lived in a country where everyone had equal rights and could expect to be treated equally under the law. It turns out this is SSSSSOOOOO far from the truth! So I am sharing my process of discovery with all of you. Today, I am explaining my personal yardstick, that is, the assessment tool I use internally to decide what I think about a person (myself or somebody else). First, though, I share the truth I KNOW: every human being has EXACTLY the same value, each is a perfect physical expression of a unique and wonderful idea in the mind of the Divine. This is undeniably true.

What I am talking about now is how my opinion/assessment works in day-to-day life. I will start with the details that are, to me (and should be to all people, countries and legal systems) irrelevant. These details have zero bearing on the personal worth of ANY human being: sexual orientation, gender identification, skin color, national origin, body size/type/ability, and faith tradition. This list is probably not comprehensive, but it’s enough to move me forward. Now for the metrics that DO belong on my personal yardstick: empathy, compassion, honesty, integrity, reliability, commitment, non-judgment, balance, a loving nature, generosity, humor, wisdom, kindness and a personal sense of PEACE. Again, the list is not comprehensive, but it’s enough to move me forward.

Give yourself the gift of imagining a society where my yardstick was the only one that existed. If you like what you see, you can start to make it happen by adopting it yourself – and applying it to yourself before anyone else. This is not the easy path, there’s nothing easy about it – but I believe it IS the natural path, the path of human nature, and I am determined to walk it exclusively, starting now. Join me?

Peace is Every Step – Let’s Move!

Part Two

By Rev. Guenter Maier, Berlin

 

(Continued from May 2021: Part One)

Peace Is the Source and the Goal

Being peaceful doesn’t mean swallowing injustice and remaining silent. True pacifists are passionate and rebels in their heart, and in action. The great “Princes of Peace” in the history of humankind spoke up with clarity against injustice and suppression: Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Nelson Mandela, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Elie Wiesel and many others. They remain messengers of peace and reconciliation because they were courageous and in alignment with truth. None of them was a coward who would have suppressed what he had to say and live to demand, claiming peace and justice. We remember them and they are shining examples.    

When you walk in the consciousness of peace you become a messenger of peace. “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” wrote Oscar Wilde. So it is about the realization of peace within you and the expression as who you are. Where there are frictions, conflicts, pain from disappointment, betrayal or all negativity of human conditions, it requires healing, steps to heal and moving on to action.

 

Plenty of Conscious Steps  

Conscious steps on the way to the realization of peace are:

Respect. It is essential and foundational. You only can respect what you truly recognize in its preciousness and value.

Recognition in inter-personal relationships becomes the ground for acknowledgment and appreciation.

Constructive and Non-Violent Communication as in dialogue and in non-verbal expression is for the healing of our soul and mental well-being as important as the blood circulation for the body. You can pray to God, and it still requires the step into the unknown and mystery of dialogue.

Actions often begin with gestures, little acts of kindness. They may be simple and easy, or big. Nothing can be taken away from their beauty and being powerful.

Peace is every breath. What is unresolved in your life that makes you feel breathless and unable to experience inner peace? What needs experiencing the shift to faith and trust? Conscious breathing contains the physical, emotional and mental experience of inner peace.

Leaving Outer Conditions. The search and desire for inner peace oftentimes lead to leaving outer conditions and to focusing on transgressing all thoughts of fear. There is a divine inner peace always present, independent from outer, worldly conditions. It is available to sensing its revelation.

Avoid Spiritual and Ethical Bypassing. Recognize reality and acknowledge it. Don’t deny failure.

We can claim Peace in the 5-step prayer that we call Spiritual Mind Treatment (SMT). In step 3 (Realization), we can consciously –with faith and conviction- initiate the realization of peace. There happens a shift to peace and wholeness.

Peace is Every Step – Let’s Move! 

Part One

By Rev. Guenter Maier, Berlin

 

Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen Buddhist and international peace activist, once wrote:

„Everyone knows that peace has to begin with oneself, but not many people know how to do it.”

There is a connection between personal, inner peace and peace on earth. Indeed, a decisive question is: How do we begin to resolve conflicts in our personal life to overcome negative feelings and obstacles that have caused pain, restlessness and suffering? There is no one who does not experience the shadows that darken well-being, action or lack of action in daily life. How can I as an individual, in a world of much drama and too many tragedies, achieve a realization of inner and outer peace?

In his book Peace is Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh directs our awareness towards important aspects: the experience of peace is possible in a flow of motion, gradually. Peace can be sustained in a continuous movement, while it is embedded in our daily walk of life. Notice that the affirmation does not say “many” or “some” steps. It focuses on “Peace is every step.”

As we know, Taoist wisdom teachings also emphasize that – to reach a goal or destination – every journey must begin with a first step.

 

Reflective Exercise 1:

Becoming aware of necessary steps

What is the first step towards (more) peace in your personal life that you would want or need? What are the most painful feelings or conflicts, tension and restlessness that trouble your life? Is it a long-postponed conversation or phone call? Do you need a step towards reconciliation with someone? Is forgiveness for hurting yourself or someone else the first step? Or is it resolving and healing your negative thinking about yourself or others? Prejudice, judgement? The multitude of frustrations that usually build up a wall of pain over the years? Think about it, listen to your intuition (inner voice): What is the first step? What is the second, third and fourth step? What comes to your mind? Going down this path means taking concrete action. 

 

Peace Is Consciousness

The powerful and vibrant energy of peace is in the consciousness of peace. It resides in all its divine qualities as harmony, love, affection, beauty, grace, benevolence, appreciation and truth. The shift of thinking and recognition that build the source for initiating peaceful action happens in our consciousness. We create peaceful moments by conscious peaceful thoughts and successive acts of kindness. Kindness is always peaceful, and among the strongest steps in peace-making.  

Going many peaceful steps opens up our view and scope of interpersonal recognition. From a place of peaceful humility, we can look beyond our own limits and borders. Opening the heart to a new and deeper way of understanding is one major step and shift in the consciousness of our lives.

 

Reflective Exercise 2:

What requires a lift or an expansion in my consciousness?

A few questions for reflecting on reaching a continuous sequence of peaceful steps are, for example: Can I take more, longer and farther reaching steps towards peace? Do I have peacemaker qualities? What qualities or character traits interfere with the embodiment of a peaceful life? How relates the shadow of my soul to the lack of peace? What is hidden in the dark labyrinth of my soul’s shadow? How do I handle or how can I transform my thoughts of rejection, prejudice, denial, negative projection and hatred? Does my heart desire peace? If not, what needs to be healed and resolved?